• Is 'Survivor: Caramoan' better or worse without Brandon Hantz?

    Monty Brinton/CBS

    The new "Bold and Beautiful" Gota tribe.

    By Drusilla Moorhouse, TODAY contributor

    After Brandon Hantz's explosive exit from "Survivor: Caramoan" last week, it seemed like this "Fans vs. Favorites" edition of the reality granddaddy had nowhere to go but up.

    Instead: Zzzzz.

    Don't misunderstand: Brandon's brand of crazy was painful to watch. Possibly the only viewers who found his meltdown even remotely entertaining were Brandon and the rest of Hantz clan.

    Unfortunately, instead of really exploring the repercussions of his violent exodus and the advantages it gave the Favorites tribe, "Survivor" responded with a diversionary tactic: a tribe reshuffle.

    As the groups reconvened to compete in the same challenge that Brandon's premature boot made unnecessary, Jeff Probst announced the end of Fans vs. Favorites. Through a random selection, the tribes regrouped into the most lopsided contest since "Survivor: Fiji's" Haves vs. Have-Nots.


    Bikal reinvented itself as the Mostly Misfits, led by the wildly delusional Phillip: Corrine, Cochran, Dawn, Julia, Michael and Matt (RIP).

    Gota, on the other hand, formed Tribe Bold and the Beautiful (moniker courtesy of Lunch Table Eddie, who must have been insufferable in high school). Although anchored by powerhouses Malcolm and Reynold, the remaining new tribemates -- Eddie, Erik, Brenda, Andrea and Sherri -- are all athletic competitors who have proven themselves in the challenges.

    Inevitably, Gota railroaded Bikal for an easy immunity win -- a trend likely to continue unless we quickly see a merge, another reshuffle or the challenges consist solely of Sudoku and acrostic puzzles.

    If not, the terrible aftermath of Brandon's exit might have doomed this season of "Survivor" for one team -- and for viewers.

    What do you think? Is "Survivor" better or worse now that Brandon Hantz is out of the game? Sound off on our Facebook page!

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  • Brandon Hantz launches into epic meltdown on 'Survivor: Caramoan'

    By Drusilla Moorhouse, TODAY contributor

    Monty Brinton/CBS

    Jeff Probst and Brandon Hantz.

    Former "Survivor: Caramoan" contestant Brandon Hantz may be unstable and volatile, but he's also predictable.

    Sabotaging his tribe was something he considered well before the game began, telling reporters about his plans to one-up his infamous uncle Russell Hantz's sock burning by messing with his fellow castaways' food supply.

    Maybe everyone should be grateful his outburst was limited to dumping out his fellow Favorites' rice and beans? After all, he also threatened to burn down their shelter several episodes ago.

    At first, no one really took his threats that seriously. Sure, his volatility and wild mood swings were a concern, but his tribemates were initially most concerned about how it would affect the competition and camp morale. By the end of Wednesday's episode, some might have worried about their own safety.

    At the beginning of this week's episode, he told his tribe he wanted to quit the game and volunteered to be voted out at the next Tribal Council because he desperately missed his wife and "two precious babies."

    But the next morning, he predictably changed his mind: He wanted to stay to do right by his family.

    Unfortunately, instead of celebrating his tribe's Reward Challenge prize, he became upset when Phillip took credit for the win. (In fact, both of them did an amazing job, but Brandon, targeted first by his opponents, let go of his ever-growing net of coconuts while Phillip held on for the win.)

    As Malcolm pointed out, "Phillip caught Brandon in one of his downward (mood) swings" when the younger man-child confronted the Specialist about his dictatorship.

    When Brandon got wind of Phillip's proposal to throw the Immunity Challenge to rid the tribe of Brandon's toxicity, he finally let loose. "Here's a reason to vote me out," he said as he scattered his horrified tribemates' food supply across the beach.


    Only the Fans tribe was surprised that the Immunity Challenge would never take place. Instead, Jeff Probst gave Brandon permission to address his tribe, wisely asking the angry young man to stand beside him on the "neutral" mat.

    While Jeff simultaneously restrained him and massaged his shoulders, Brandon unleashed his fury on his tribe and Phillip. For a terrifying moment -- when Phillip mentioned his children -- it seemed like Jeff's gentle touch would not be enough to prevent Brandon from physically attacking his opponent.

    In the end, Jeff might have just earned another Emmy by instructing the Favorites to vote on the spot rather than waiting for Tribal Council. Unsurprisingly, Bikal's decision to send home Brandon was unanimous (Brandon of course voted for Phillip), and he walked away without a ceremonial torch-snuffing.

    It was an agonizing episode to watch, with only Reynold's wide-eyed, slack-jawed reaction providing the only comic relief. (If Reynold is voted out -- which may not happen, considering he found the second Immunity Idol hours after playing the first one -- he might be the game's most entertaining jury member.)

    As for Brandon, he's responsible for one of the darkest chapters in "Survivor" history.

    What did you think of the outrageous action? Sound off on our Facebook page!

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  • 'Survivor' hero quitting the game? Yes! Er, no. Maybe later

    Monty Brinton / CBS

    Shamar.

    By Drusilla Moorhouse, TODAY contributor

    Have the Fans of "Survivor: Caramoan" actually watched the show before? Just days into season 26, the fab four are failing arithmetic and Shamar is thinking of quitting the game.

    After their first Tribal Council, Reynold is reeling from the "revenge of the nerds," who voted out his snuggle bunny Allie.  It suddenly dawns on him, Eddie and Hope that their alliance is a "vast minority." (Maybe these kids were too busy admiring themselves during math class, but four versus six was a significant minority from the outset.)

    Meanwhile, Shamar is lunging around camp like an injured Godzilla, breathing fire at everyone and making absolutely no sense. Everyone is appalled except businesswoman Sherri, whose entire staff at home consists of Shamars: "All I do is deal with snotty teenage brats all day."

    Shamar then starts threatening to quit the game, revealing that after his first tour in Iraq he suffered from alcoholism and "anger issues." But it's his genuine belief that he's "trying to uplift everybody" that makes us wonder how he ever passed his CBS psych eval.

    Just as we're tasting bile at the thought of another NaOnka and Purple Kelly desertion, Shamar agrees to stay a few more days out of loyalty to Sherri, Laura & Co.


    "He made himself a hero for unquitting the game of 'Survivor,'" said Reynold. Bravo!

    Over at Bikal, Phillip is channeling his inner Richard Simmons, while Corrine and Malcolm team up to look for the Hidden Immunity Idol. He finds it in about five seconds, they do a celebratory Snoopy dance/pinky pact, and bury it in another spot. (He doesn't tell Corrine that he was burned by Laundry Lady Lisa.)

    Andrea, who is playing this game harder than anyone, notices that Corrine and Mal are "intensely talking" and tries to sway Cochran and Phillip to swap out Corrine's spot with Brandon and oust the "Gabon" vet instead. Fortunately for Corrine, the Favorites win both immunity and reward (including chairs, pillows, blankets and a tarp).

    It's another spectacular challenge, proving that "Survivor" should never, ever have another landlubber season.

    Although Laura flounders during the swim, it's a tight race. Both tribes, even at 9-9, must swim to a cage, climb it and jump into water, release and drag a submerged chest to shore, and then push it to a platform after assembling a series of tracks obtained via grappling hook.

    While Eddie struggles, Brandon nails the last hook for Favorites victory.

    Monty Brinton/CBS

    Shamar continues his unique version of "uplifting" the tribe, calling Reynold "disgusting" and revealing to Hope the majority's plan to split the vote between her and Eddie. She shares his revelation with Julia, who for a hot minute considers aligning with the Pretty People to vote out the insufferable Marine.

    At Tribal Council, Shamar continues his Pity Party of One, accusing everyone of lying -- including the guys on his "No-Talking List" -- and throwing him under the bus. (Where, in fact, he really threw himself. He's much too huge for anyone else to toss him into traffic.)

    With Reynold again holding onto his immunity idol, Eddie, Hope and Shamar are tied with three votes apiece. As planned, Shamar, Michael and Matt switch their votes to Hope, and her torch is summarily snuffed.  

    Eddie and Reynold's lunch table is sure getting lonely. Aw.

    Did Gota do the right thing, or should they have taken out their loose cannon before he quits them? Tell us on our Facebook page!

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  • 'Survivor: Caramoan' alliance devastated by early blindside

    Monty Brinton/CBS

    Sherri Biethman, Reynold Toepfer, Edward "Eddie" Fox and Hope Driskill of the Gota tribe.

    By Drusilla Moorhouse, TODAY contributor

    Is it too soon in our relationship to say "I love you" to "Survivor: Caramoan"? Its second installment was even more amazing than the premiere, with a thrilling Tribal Council, an epic blindside and all manner of crazy courtesy of Brandon Hantz, Shamar and Phillip.  Also: Hello, Hidden Immunity Idol!

    First congratulations are in order: Dawn made it all the way to episode two before bursting into tears! With Brandon yelling "explicatives" (see: "The Specialist's Guide to Malapropism"), we might turn on the waterworks too.  

    L'il Hantz, you see, is "feeling revengeful" after finding himself outside The Specialist's alliance of six. With madness in his eyes, he says he plans to go "Russell Hantz-style" on his tribe and feels his "uncle's blood coursing through" him, driving him to play "dir-ty to the core."

    But overnight, Brandon manages to exorcise his uncle's evil spirit, with the 180 flip frightening Cochran.

    "He has these moments of extreme rage and they're almost immediately followed by unbelievable pleasantness --  the sort of behavior befitting a murderer who is sociopathic," notes the candidate for SPF 1,500.

    But Brandon's mood sours again after being rebuffed by Special Agent Pink Panther, who calls him a "narcist." (He may garble his diagnosis, but at least the Specialist pronounced his name correctly. "Coreen" wasn't so lucky.)

    At Camp Gota, the fans are exasperated by Shamar's indolence. With ominous foreshadowing, Allie says if they go to Tribal Council, voting out the Marine sergeant is "non-negotiable."

    Sherri, however, encourages Shamar to keep up the aggro, welcoming him into her alliance with Julia, Laura, Michael and Matt. "Shamar is my Phillip," she crows, "but I get along with my Phillip."

    Too bad the rest of her Gota tribe couldn't get along at the challenge for both immunity and reward (a fishing kit).


    Owing to their teamwork and smart division of labor, the Favorites took a huge lead in the three-part contest. The favorites retrieved all nine of their submerged rings and had them ashore while Sherri, Hope and Julia has only released two.

    But Reynold nearly overcame their deficit in the final ring toss. While Malcolm landed two, The Specialist earned the win -- and more PSI in his already overinflated ego.

    The Stealth R Us CEO celebrated their victory by awarding more nicknames -- the Enforcer for Malcolm and True Grit for Dawn -- and then performing a terrifying dance.

    Gota weren't dancing or  celebrating, unless you count Vote for Shamar Day. Reynold called out Sgt. Boo Boo the Fool  for his "unacceptable" behavior, and the Foxy Four expected that his ouster would be unanimous.

    Actually Matt was on the fence (it was not love at first sight between the pogonophile and the Iraq War vet), and makes a case for voting out Shamar so that the Cool Kids wouldn't feel betrayed.

    Cut to Reynold, who also must be channeling Russell Hantz, because he finds the Hidden Immunity Idol after a brief search of likely hiding places. He's better at finding than concealing, however, and Laura spots the tell-tale bulge in his pocket -- just as the group is departing for their rendezvous with Jeff Probst.

    Will she follow the lead of the "Survivor: Philippines" truth vomiters and spill all at Tribal? Our hearts were racing with anticipation while Reynold and Eddie vented about Shamar.  

    But if Matt and Mike really considered voting out the big man, they changed their minds when Laura revealed what she witnessed.

    Obviously Probst is dousing his council members with sodium pentothal, because Reynold immediately fessed up to his "pocketful of Kryptonite" -- and announced that he'd play it immediately.

    But he didn't play it at all, and he was crushed when Allie, his snuggle bunny, was voted out 6-4. Eddie's slack-jawed shock is priceless. Aw, the purty people has the sads!  

    Next time, on "Survivor": More Shamantics from the 300-pound sloth, and Brandon threatens to burn down the shelter and pee in the rice and beans. Hey, it could be worse.

    What do you think of the drama so far this season? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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